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Now that you know the history of Hanukkah, I would like to explain it from a different perspective....

the believer in Yeshua's (Jesus) perspective.

There are SEVERAL parallels to Yeshua (Jesus) in basically every Jewish holiday. It's really an interesting study. But today I'm only going to concentrate on some of the ones that show up in Hanukkah because that's what you and I have been looking at these past few days.

The first parallel I briefly mentioned in my first Hanukkah post. Remember the temple menorah and how I said that it was the only source of light in the whole temple? God commanded that the menorah be lit at all times (see Exodus 27:20-21). The Jews must have thought that God commanded this just so the priest in the temple could see. But if there's one thing that I've learned from my (earthly) father it's that God doesn't ever command something without it having a deeper meaning behind it.

You see, when Yeshua (Jesus) walked upon this earth, He actually observed Jewish customs and holidays. This is part of the reason why when the Pharasees came to accuse Yeshua (Jesus) they could find no fault in Him because, by their law, He had fulfilled everything. Yeshua (Jesus) was a "good Jewish boy." So when Hanukkah came around guess where our Savoir was? That's right! Jerusalem. More specifically, the temple in Jerusalem.

"Then came Hanukkah(Feast of Dedication) in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). It was winter, and Yeshua was walking around inside the Temple area, in Shlomo’s (Solomon's) Colonnade." John 10:22,23 Complete Jewish Bible (parenthesis are mine)

Back up two chapters to John 8 verse 12. Yeshua (I think you know by now who I'm talking about) had just forgiven the woman caught in adultery. He then turns around and continues teaching and the next thing out of His mouth is:

Yeshua spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life.” John 10:12 CJB

Yeshua called himself the light of the world. Hanukkah occurs in the dark of winter. Yet as He was preparing to attend the Feast of Dedication He takes the time to stop and tell this woman that just as the menorah gives light to the temple and the Hanukkah menorah gives light in the dark of winter, HE gives light to the whole world and we have no need to walk in darkness ever again.

The second parallel has to do with the menorah itself rather than the actual light. On a Hanukkah menorah you will notice that there is one candle that sits higher than the others. This is the Shamash or the Servant Candle. The purpose of the Servant Candle is to light the other candles but in order to do this the Servant Candle must first humble itself and come down from its high place on the menorah to the other candles below.

Though he was in the form of God,he did not regard equality with Godsomething to be possessed by force.On the contrary, he emptied himself,in that he took the form of a slaveby becoming like human beings are. And when he appeared as a human being,he humbled himself still moreby becoming obedient even to death --death on a stake as a criminal! Therefore God raised him to the highest placeand gave him the name above every name;Philippians 2:6-9 CJB

For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the Jewish people in order to show God’s truthfulness by making good his promises to the Patriarchs, Romans 15:8 CJB

The Servant candle is a picture of Yeshua in how that HE came down to earth to give us salvation and the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).

“Arise, shine [Yerushalayim], for your light has come, the glory of Adonai has risen over you. Isaiah 60:1 CJB

Without the Servant Candle the rest of the menorah cannot be lit. Just like we cannot have the Light of Life without Yeshua.

Sadly many Jews do not see these parallels because many of them are still looking for their messiah. They don't know that HE has already come and is willing to deliver them from their opression. To prove my point, a couple of years ago a singing group called The Maccabeats, an a cappella made up of Jewish guys, released this song for Hanukkah. Here are a few of the lyrics: You can listen to the whole song HERE

I see a light, reflection refraction;Is it nothing more than a chemical reaction?It flickers and grows, nobody knows;How much we feel how quickly it goes;

Turn off the dark and vanquish the night;Show the whole world for eight days at twilight;Then and now they fought and we fight;Fight for the right to live by our own light;

Let me see the light;Give me something to live by;Let me see the light;I need something to live by;

Help me see myself in my reflection;Shine tonight;Let me shed the light in each direction;Shining bright;I wanna see the light;...

...Is this spark that we sing of anything?;Hiding somewhere in between everything;...

Help me see myself in my reflection;Shine tonight;Let me shed the light in each direction;Shining bright;

I wanna to see the light

SHINEThe Maccabeats

Sad isn't it? They really don't know that there is a Light that they can live by and these are the JEWISH PEOPLE, the nation that Jesus lived in while HE was here on earth. So I challange you this week to pray for the Jews that their Messiah might be revealed to them this Hanukkah and they, like the candles of the menorah, would arrive in a humble state so that they too can receive the Light of Life Yeshua offers them.